Tony Gregory
Question:36 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education if she will reverse her decision to remove history as a compulsory subject from the junior certificate examination. [8267/96]
Written Answers. - Teaching of History.
Liz O'Donnell
Question:38 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education whether she has reconsidered the proposal in the White Paper on Education to omit geography as a core subject on the junior certificate curriculum. [9579/96]
Batt O'Keeffe
Question:52 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if she intends to remove history as a compulsory subject for junior and leaving certificate examinations. [8084/96]
Micheál Martin
Question:138 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education the definite commitment, if any, she will give to maintain history and geography as core subjects on the junior certificate curriculum in secondary schools. [9776/96]
Ivor Callely
Question:176 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Education the submissions, if any, she has received requesting that history remain a core subject for junior and leaving certificate examinations; the issues, if any, that have been brought to her attention that warrant consideration of dropping history as a core subject; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9722/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 38, 52, 138 and 176 together.
History and geography is a core subject for junior certificate pupils in secondary schools. It is not a core subject for pupils in vocational or community or comprehensive schools. However, in 1995, history was provided in 200 of the 247 vocational schools and in 73 of the 76 community and comprehensive schools. Geography was also provided in 200 of the vocational and in all community and comprehensive schools. 92 per cent of the junior certificate examination candidates presented for the history and geography examinations in June 1995.
The White Paper Charting Our Education Future states that all students should have studied, by the end of junior cycle, seven broad areas which would include “knowledge and appreciation of their social, cultural and physical heritage and environment”. That means an awareness and understanding of both history and geography by all students. These are demanding objectives but they are enormously worthwhile. The White Paper specifies that each student should study Irish, English, mathematics and science or a technological subject. It also states that at least three further subjects from a range of full courses and short courses should be studied. It will be necessary to ensure that our students achieve all that we wish without overloading the curriculum. It raises a number of critical questions which need to be addressed. These questions include: should the same set of subjects be compulsory for all students in all types of school, should students of varying abilities be required to take the same set of compulsory subjects, should compulsory subjects consist of a variety of full courses, short courses and modules, and how much flexibility should remain with schools?
I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the curriculum advisory body to the Department of Education, to respond as a matter of priority to the debate on the issue of core subjects at junior certificate level. I wish to state that no discussion has taken place, no decisions have been made and no instructions have been issued which will change the position of history and geography within the junior certificate curriculum at present. I will not make any decisions until a full debate has taken place and until I have received the advice of the NCCA. History is not a compulsory subject for the leaving certificate examination.